Window shade slat



I May 16, 1933.

c. E. KOPFSTEIN 1,909,109

WINDOW SHADE SLAT Filed Jan. 6, 1932 Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STA TES' PATENT OFFICE CARL KOPFSTEIN, OF HTTSB URGHfPEm'I N'SYLVANIA WINDOW SHADE SLAT Application filed January 6, 1932. Serial No. 584,818.

the latter, which may be employed in connection with any type of window shade, which may be secured or removed without damage to the window shade, even by unskilled persons, andwhereby the reversal of a window shade may be conveniently, eflected. 1

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the class stated, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, durable and eflicient in its use, attractive in appearance, positive in its action, and comparatively. inexpensive to manufacture and install. 9

7 With the foregoing and other objectsin view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that the latter is merely illustrative of an embodiment of the invention,'and that the actual-needs of manufacture and practice may necessitate certain 40 mechanical variations. It is therefore, not

intended to limit the invention to the disclosure thereof herein illustrated, but rather to define such limitations in the claims hereunto appended. l

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral v1ews:

Figure 1 1s a front view of a window shade provided with a slat constructed in 59 accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse crosslsectional view of my improved slat when in the distended or released position.

Figure 4 is an end view of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing 1 denotes a window shade of any conventional type and construction, and provided with a slat costructed in accordance with the present invention. The slat comprises a hollow body portion 2, which is constructed or shaped from any suitable material, preferably an integral strip of resilient sheet The body portion 2 is formed -to metal. provide a pair of side walls, respectively indicated at .3 and 4, which are joined by an interposed bottom 5.

The top ofeach of the side walls and 4 is formed with a depending por-tion,:respectively indicated at 6 and 7, which are disposed in the interior of the hollow body portion 2,. between the respective sidewalls 3 and 4, and extend throughout the lengths i of the latter. 1 The depending portion 6, of the sidewall 3, is formed with a longitudinally extending, cylindrical socket groove 8, which is adapted for receiving and engaging a correspondingly shaped connecting hp 9. The

latter is formed in the depending portion 7, of the side wall 4, and extends longitudinally on the latter. The socket groove 8 and the associated connecting lip 9 extend throughout the lengths of respective depending portions 6 and 7, and are disposed in the same direction to permit their interengagement for clamping the lower end of the win- 9 dow shade 1 therebetween in the manner to be described.

The lower edge margins 10 and 11, of respective depending portions 6 and 7 are preferably disposed at an angle, relatively to the vertical disposition of the body portion 2, to abut against the inner surfaces of respective side walls 3 and 4 for the purpose of stabilizing the latter and the depending portions 6 and 7.

As herein before stated, the entire slat structure is shaped to be formed from an integral strip of resilient sheet metal, and its construction is such as to provide a spring action normally tending to force the side walls 3 and 4 toward each other whereby the connecting lip 9 will engage in the socket groove 8.

In securing my improved window slat to a window shade, the side Walls 3 and 4 are forced apart to the spread or open position, against their normal spring action, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. The lower end portion of the window shade is then inserted between depending portions 6 and 7, after which the side walls 3 and 4.- are released and forced toward each other in conjunction with the normal spring action of the slat structure to the clamping or securing position.

When the side walls 3 and 4 are shifting to the clamping position, the portion of the window shade engaged between the socket groove 8 and connecting lip 9 must necessarily assume the tortuous conformation of these latter interengaging elements, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2, whereby the engaged portion of the window shade is securely clamped against slippage between the depending portions 6 and 7.

The construction of the socket groove 8 and connecting lip 9 is, such that the wall of the former is capable of resilient distention and the wall of the latter is capable of resilient contraction, whereby, when the lower end of the window shade is positioned therebetween, a clicking resilient interengagement of the connecting lip 9 in the socket groove 8 is effected when the side walls 8 and 4 are forced to the clamping position.

The socket groove 8 and its associated connecting lip 9 are preferably disposed at a slight angle from the horizontal when in their inter-engaged clamping position, as shown in Figure 2, for the purpose of further augmenting their securing action on the interposed portion of the window shade.

The ends of the side walls 3 and 4 are preferably formed with inturned plates 12, which, combined in pairs, provide closure elements for respective ends of the slat body portion 2.

The bottom 5, of the body portion 2, is

formed with an inturned, cylindrical groove 13, which extends along the entire length of the body portion 1. A pull member 1 1 of any suitable construction, is provided having an enlarged head 15 frictionally engaging in the bottom groove 13. The latter, besides providing attaching means for the pull member 14 further serves to reenforce the body portion 2 and facilitates the manipulation of the latter when being secured to or released from position. It is apparent, however, that the provision of the bottom groove 13 is not absolutely essential to the successful employment of the device, and therefore may or need not be embodied in the slat structure.

The body portion 1 is preferably provided with a rounded bottom, and gradually diminishes in thickness from the bottom to the top thereof, wherebythe superficial configuration of a conventional type of window shade slat is maintained.

The present invention provides a most efiicient and attractive device of its kind, which may be plated or otherwise finished in any colors, harmonizing with the associated window hangings, and. which may be readilysecured in position or removed therefrom in the manner herein set forth.

What I claim is 1. A window shade slat of the character described, comprising a hollow body portion constructed from an integral strip of resilient sheet metal, said body portion i11- cluding a pair of side walls, one of said pair of side walls having an inturned. depending portion provided with a longitudinally extending socket groove and the other of said pair of side walls having an inturned depending portion provided with a horizontal 1y extending connecting lip engaging in said socket groove for clamping said body portion to the window shade, said body portion further including a bottom portion provided. with a longitudinally extending groove.

2. A window shade slat of the character described, comprising a hollow body portion constructed from an integral strip of resilient sheet metal, said body portion including a pair of side walls, one of. said pair of side walls having an inturned depending portion provided with a longitudinally extending socket groove and the other of said pair of side walls having an inturned depending portion provided with a horizontally extending connecting lip engaging in said socket groove for clamping said body portion to the Window shade, said pair of side walls being formed with end members providing closure elements for respective ends of said body portion. 7

3. A Window shade-slat of the character described, comprising a hollow body portion constructed from an integral strip of resilient sheet metal, said body portion including ture.

CARL E. KOPFSTEIN. 

